De Cock among nine DCU researchers awarded funding in Irish Research Council scheme
The IRC New Foundations scheme focuses on addressing societal challenges. The awards are designed to bring researchers, civic society organisations and policy makers together to provide evidence for policies and practices with tangible local, national and international impact. The scheme enables research, networking or dissemination activities with an emphasis on multi-disciplinary work.
Among the nine awardees from DCU is Dr Miriam de Cock from the School of Theology, Philosophy and Music. Her project explores the notions of “home” presented within the late antique Christian materials of the Chester Beatty collections. “Home” is and has always been a fundamental concern for human culture; the concept has bearing on historical and contemporary understandings of belonging, who is and is not “at home” in a particular place, as well as debates about the legacies of colonisation.
This theme remains underexplored in scholarship and civic society, and therefore this project will go some way towards examining what the ancient materials of the CBL collection can contribute to the study of “home” in the human past.
Dr de Cock has previously edited Exploring the Literary Contexts of Patristic Biblical Exegesis, published by the Catholic University of America Press last October. Her article “Origen on the Homiletic Exegete as Physician of the Soul”, in volume 38 of Patristica Nordica Annuaria will be available open access later this summer.
The other funded projects span a wide range of activities including an anti-racist teaching collaboration with early school leavers, a handbook for caring for children with trauma, and reducing plastic pollution in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Today’s announcement represents a total investment of €633,000. Forty-three projects are funded by the IRC to enhance research partnerships with civic society organisations. Through these partnerships with researchers, diverse community organisations will attain new evidence and insights to enhance their services and their impact. In addition, a further thirteen projects are funded by Government departments and agencies.